Bobbin feeding mechanism for spooling machines



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BOBBIN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SPOOLING MACHINES Filed Oct. 6, 195:5

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BOBBIN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SPOOLING MACHINES Filed Oct. 6,1953

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BOBB-IN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SPOOLING MACHINES James Dove WilfordTaylor, Hazel Grove, England Application October 6, 1953', Serial No.384,461

' 9 Claims. or. 221- 178) This invention comprises a mechanism fororienting and feeding symmetrically ended bobbins having an overalldimension in an axial plane greater than the largest overall dimensionin a radial plane. The invention is particularly applicable to amachinefor feeding bobbins to a spooling machine (e.g. machines for winding theconventional bobbin of cotton) from a hopper into which they may betipped at random.

Modern high speed spooling machines have a ver rapid output, whichinvolves a correspondingly rapid supply of empty bobbins to them, and asthe bobbins need to be presented to the machines in a particulardisposition, the maintenance of the supply by normal man- .ual means, isincreasingly onerous, and costly.

The object of the present invention is a bobbin feed ing mechanismhaving a hopper into which bobbins may be tipped at random, themechanism operating to orient them automatically and present them at theright times and in the right positions to a spooling machine or to anyother requirement.

According to the invention, bobbin feeding mechanism for symmetricallyended bobbins having an overall dimension in an axial plane greater thanthe largest overall dimension in a radial plane, comprises a hopperadapted to receive the bobbins in random arrangement, at least oneinclined collecting formation in the bottom of the hopper having anorifice at its lower part, a tundishshaped orienting member rotatablymounted below 'each orifice, means for rotating said member, said memberhaving its upper end forming a continuation of the collecting formationand a central outlet, a collecting chute adapted to receive the bobbinsin axial disposition from the central outlet of the orienting member, aholder normally located below said chute adapted to receive and hold onebobbin, means for swinging the said ,holder away from the chute to aposition in which the bobbin is supported in a rollable position and abobbin receiving station at such position for enabling rolling deliveryof the bobbin from the holder.

The following more detailed description is of, a repre sentative exampleof a bobbin feeding mechanism for use with a bobbin winding or spoolingmachine for winding the conventional bobbins of cotton or other thread,

the bobbins being symmetrically flanged at both ends and the flangesbeing inclined on the inner face. i

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of one example of a bobbin feedingmechanism made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view similar to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing one collecting station in thehopper.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation, and

Fig. 5 is a rear elevationshowing in detail the driving mechanism at oneend of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a sectional end elevation at the last feeding station at thesame end of the machine.

Patented July 2 8, 1959 '6 ice Fig. 6A is a fragmentary sectionalextension of Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a part sectional rear elevation showing the motor drive at theother end of the machanism.

" Fig. 9 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a plan of one bobbin holder.

Fig. 11 is a plan of a shutter, and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary detail View showing the bobbin holder inposition for delivery to the chute.

As shown in the drawings the machine comprises a main horizontal framemember 20 having supporting columns 21 carrying adjustable foot brackets22 by which such columns are adapted to be secured to, and supportedfrom, the back foot rail (not shown) of a known make of spool Winder.Secured at intervals along the length of the frame member 20 are bracketmembers 23 which overhang forwardly thereof, each having three bosses 24for columns 25 on top of which is supported a rectangular frame 26secured to the bottom of a long hopper 27 of rectangular shape in plan.Fixed to the inner walls of the hopper are angle members 27a adapted tosupport bobbins above them so that the bobbins in the orienting zone arenot over weighted if the hopper is full. The bottom of the hopper hasinclined longitudinal front and rear faces 28 and inclined end faces 29,and such bottom is formed into a plurality of rectangular collectingformations by inverted V-shaped transverse partitions 30. Each bracketalso embodies a bearing 31 for a longitudinal shaft 32, while centrallyof the three lugs 24 is a vertical socket with clamping screw 33 for theupper end of a tube 34. At the lower end of the tube 34 is a clamp 35and within the tube is a changeable tubular chute 36. On the upper endof the tube is rotatably journalled a tundish-shaped orienting member 37to the lower part of which is secured a spiral cut gear 38. The upperend of the chute is flared and with the upper end of the tube and thetop of the orienting member forms a continuation of the inclinedcollecting formation within the hopper. On the upper face of theorienting member 37 are inclined orienting ribs adapted to causemovement of bobbins. As can be seen from Fig. 3, one of these ribs 37ais radial and the other 37b is longer, inclined and overlaps the outlet.On the shaft 32 and complementary to each spiral cut gear wheel 38 is aspiral cut gear wheel 39. Mounted at one end of the frame member 20 is aclutch shaft 40 carrying a gear wheel 41 meshing with a gear wheel 42fixed to the end of the shaft 32. Slidably mounted on the shaft 40 isasaw-toothed dog-clutch 43 adapted to be moved, by means of a forkedclutch lever 44, into and out of engagement with a complementarydog-clutch member 45 carried by a sleeve 46 on the end of the shaft 40and in turn carrying a gear wheel 47. Meshing with the gear wheel 47 isa larger gear 48 to which is secured a chain sprocket 49 connected bymeans of a chain 50 with a larger chain wheel 51 attached to a cam drum52. The clutch lever 44 is secured to one end of a small cross shaft 53on the other end of which is fixed an arm 54 adapted to be connected bya rod 55, the upper end only of which is shown, to the automaton orother control mechanism of the spooling machine for actuation therebyaccording to the spool demand .of that machine.

Mounted in the frame member 20 behind each tube 34 is a small shaft 56carrying on its rear end a rotatable pinion 57 formed at one end ascomplementary to a cam clutch 58 keyed to the shaft at 59 and adjustablyloaded towards the pinion by a spring 60. On the front end of the shaftis fixed a depending arm 61 to the lower end of which is attached abobbin holder 62 open at its upper end and U-shaped in plan with theopen face to the front. Inthe bottom of the holder is a positioningscrew 63 the upper end of which forms an adjustable support for thebobbin. Supported on pillars 64 from the frame member 20 is a retainingplate 65 positioned in front of each holder, which prevents the bobbinfrom leaving the holder and the two'side' walls 66 of the holder areinclined so that as the holder is swung towards a horizontal positionone such wall forms an inclined surface-down which the bobbin will tendto roll. The holder is fitted with a removable liner 67 which can bechanged, like the chute, according to the diameter of the bobbins inuse.

The holder 62 is adapted to be swung to a horizontal position on bothsides of the chute 36 by means of a rack rod '68 which is slidablysupported in suitable brackets 69 secured to the frame member 20, suchrack being connected by a link 70 to a lever 71 carrying a bowl 72engaged with a cam groove 73 in the cam drum 52,- the lever beingpivotally supported at 74 below the cam drum. The upper end of the lever71 has a slotted eye 75 for adjustable attachment of the end of the link70 so that the lineal movement of the rack is adjustable. The cam grooveis designed so that the holder arm will be carried to a horizontalposition alternately to opposite sides of the chute tube with a shortperiod of dwell for each raised position. Between each such swingingmovement the lever is brought substantially to a central posi tion forabout 90 degrees of cam movement and such part of the cam groove isslightly inclined to cause the arm to move the holder slowly below theend of the chute tube. One end face of the cam drum is formed with arecess 52a which has an inclined leaving face and vertical entryaccording to the direction of rotation of the drum relative to a finger44a carried by a depending extension 44b of the clutch lever 44. Aspring 440 is provided adapted to urge the finger 44a towards the camdrum. The clutch is shown in Fig. in the closed position.

In the machine illustrated, bobbin delivery chutes 76 are providedsecured at their rear ends by suitable brackets such rear endsterminating coincident with outlet apertures, not shown, in theretaining plate 65. Each chute is formed of a pair of L-section memberswhich are adjustable laterally according to the length of the bobbinthey are to receive. The forward ends of the chutes are designed todeliver the bobbins to standard chutes (not shown) of a spoolingmachine, which latter chutes were previously manually loaded.

The feeding mechanism is adapted to be attached to the spooling machineby a stay 77 part only of which is shown. The shaft 32 is driven by anelectric motor 78 carried by a suitable bracket 79 from the rear framemember 20, the motor shaft carrying a worm 80 meshing with acomplementary worm gear 81 on the shaft 32.

Pivoted behind each holder 62 and below the lower end of the tubularchute 36 is an escapement-like member 82 having arms 83 adapted to beengaged by the holder so that one or other of the said arms ispositioned below the chute to support the column of bobbins therein asthe holder moves away. 7

In operation, the motor 78 is run continuously and through the shaft 32and gears 38-39 slowly rotates the orienting members 37. Bobbins on theorienting members are moved around the centre outlet by the ribs 37a and3712 until they roll on the inclined annular surface at the upper end oftubular member 36 and are oriented to fall in turn into the tubularchute 36. The first bobbin to fall into the chute falls into the holder62 where it rests on end on the positioning screw 63 which is adjustedso that the top of the bobbin is substantially level with the top of theholder. The bobbin is prevented by the retaining plate 65 from'fallingout of the open front face of the holder. Succeeding bobbins form acolumn on top of each other within the chute 36 until the latter isfull.

When the actuating rod 55i's pulled down, for example by the automatonof the spool winder, the clutch lever 44 moves the dog-clutch member 43into engagement with the dog-clutch 45 starting rotation of the cam drum52 from the continuously rotating shaft 32. Movement of the clutch lever44 at the same time withdraws the finger 44a of the extension 44b fromthe recess 52a in the face of the cam drum. The rotation of the drummoves the recess out of register with the finger so that, when theautomaton releases the rod the end of the finger engages the face of thecam and holds the dogclutch parts engaged until the cam drum hascompleted a full turn when the finger drops into the recess under theaction of the spring 44c causing disengagement of the clutch.

As the cam drum moves through one revolution the cam groove, through thelever 71 link 70 and rack rod 68 causes the holder arm 61 to be swunginto a substantially horizontal position, at one side of the chute whereit is held for a short time, then back to its original position belowthe tubular chute 36 where the holder is moved very slowly so that itcan receive a new bobbin, then up to a horizontal position on the otherside of the tubular chute where it is again held for a short time andthen back to its original position below the chute, again with slowmovement until rotation of the cam ceases. As the holder leaves itsposition below the tubular chute it engages one or other arm of thepivoted escapement-like member 82 turning it to one side or the other sothat the said other or one arm of such member is positioned below thechute and operates as a shutter. When the holder moves back again itturns the shutter with it leaving a free passage for the lowermostbobbin to enter the holder. I

By such arrangement each holder 62 can supply two delivery chutes 76. Asthe holders swing up to the horizontal position the bobbins are turnedonto their side and by reason of the inclined side walls 66 a bobbinrolls in the holder until it rests against the retaining plate 65. Assoon as the holder comes into register with an aperture in such plateleading to the delivery chute it rolls onto the same. Should there beany obstruction to movement of any of the holders 62, the cam clutchparts 5859 will separate against the resistance of the spring so that nodamage will be caused to the machine in whichever direction the holderarm should be moving.

In the event of the hopper being filled and to prevent the full weightof the bobbins above the orienting members from interfering with theiraction, the inclined angle members 27a will provide partial support forthe upper mass of bobbins while allowing them to descend freely and indue course to the orienting zone.

Instead of providing automaton control for the feeding mechanism, theclutch could be omitted and the holder arms could move continuously fromside to side, the

bobbin remaining in the holder if there isno room for another on thedelivery chute. If the holder has a bobbin when it returns to itsreceiving position below the tubular chute, the bobbins thereinobviously will not move so that the arm will swing to-and-fro offering abobbin to each chute, whether such chute is or is not already full. Suchan arrangement would be preferable where the feed mechanism is requiredto supply independently actuated winding stations as each station canthen be supplied according 'to its requirements.

What I claim is:

l. Bobbin feeding mechanism comprising, in combination, stationaryhopper means having inwardly and downwardly inclined walls and beingformed with a bottom orifice, said hopper means being adapted to hold aplurality of bobbins; a rotary bobbin-orienting member having an uprightaxis and a downwardly and inwardly inclined inner annular surface andbeing formed with an aperture at the lower end of said annular surface,said bobbin-orienting member being located underneath said orifice withsaid annular surface forming a continuation of said inclined hopperwalls; and a stationary tubular chute located underneath saidbobbin-orienting member and extending downwardly from the'same, saidchute having at the upper end thereof a downwardly and inwardly inclinedannular surface forming a continuation of saidannular surface of saidbobbin-orienting member whereby said bobbin-orienting member rotatesbobbins until the same roll on said annular surface of said chute andpass in upright position into said chute.

2. Bobbin feeding mechanism comprising, in combination,stationary'hopper means having inwardly and downwardly inclined wallsand being formed with a bottom orifice, said hopper means being adaptedto hold a plurality of bobbins; a rotary bobbin-orienting member havingan upright axis and a downwardly and inwardly inclined inner annularsurface and being formed with an aperture at the lower end of saidannular surface, said bobbin-orienting member being located underneathsaid orifice with said annular surface forming a continuation of saidinclined hopper walls, said bobbin-orienting member having at least onebobbin-engaging rib on said annular surface thereof; and a stationarytubular chute located underneath said bobbin-orienting member andextending downwardly from the same said chute having at the upper endthereof a downwardly and inwardly inclined annular surface forming acontinuation of said annular surface of said bobbin-orienting memberwhereby said bobbin-orienting member rotates bobbins engaged by said ribuntil the same roll on said annular surface of said chute and pass inupright position into said chute.

3. Bobbin feeding mechanism comprising in combination, stationary hoppermeans having inwardly and downwardly inclined walls and being formedwith a bottom orifice, said hopper means being adapted to hold aplurality of bobbins; a rotary bobbin-orienting member having an uprightaxis and a downwardly and inwardly inclined inner annular surface andbeing formed with an aperture at the lower end of said annular surface,said bobbin-orienting member being located underneath said orifice withsaid annular surface forming a continuation of said inclined hopperwalls, said bobbin-orienting member having at least one bobbin-engagingrib on said annular surface thereof; and a stationary tubular chutelocated underneath said bobbin-orienting member and extending downwardlyfrom the same, said chute having at the upper end thereof a downwardlyand inwardly inclined annular surface forming a continuation of saidannular surface of said bobbin-orienting member and said rib having aportion projecting over at least part of said annular surface of saidchute whereby said bobbinorienting member rotates bobbins engaged bysaid rib until the same roll on said annular surface of said chute andpass in upright position into said chute.

4. Bobbin feeding mechanism comprising, in combination, stationaryhopper means having inwardly and downwardly inclined walls and beingformed with a bottom orifice, said hopper means being adapted to hold aplurality of bobbins; a rotary bobbin-orienting member having an uprightaxis and a downwardly and inwardly inclined inner annular surface andbeing formed with an aperture at the lower end of said annular surface,said bobbin-orienting member being located underneath said orifice withsaid annular surface forming a continuation of said inclined hopperwalls, said bobbin-orienting member having two bobbin-engagingcircumferentially spaced ribs on said annular surface thereof; and astationary tubular chute located underneath said bobbin orienting memberand extending downwardly from the same, said chute having "at the upperend thereof a downwardly and inwardly inclined annular surface forming acontinuation of said annular surface of said bobbin-orienting member,one of said ribs having a portion projecting over part of said annularsurface of said chute, and the other of said ribs extending in radialdirection across said annular surface of said bobbin-orienting memberwhereby said bobbin-orienting member rotates bobbins engaged "6 by saidribs until the same roll on said annular surface of said chute and passin'upri-ght position into said chute.

5. A bobbin feeding mechanism as set forthin claim 4 wherein said onerib isinclined to the respective radial plane passing throughthe axis ofsaid bobbin-orienting member.

6. A bobbin feeding mechanism as set forth in claim 4 wherein saidannular surface of said bobbin-orienting member, and 'said annularsurface of said chute are conical.

7. Bobbin feeding mechanism comprising, in combination, stationaryhopper means having inwardly and downwardly inclined walls and beingformed with a bottom orifice, said hopper means being adapted to hold aplurality of bobbins; a rotary bobbin-orienting member having an uprightaxis and a downwardly and inwardly inclined inner annular surface andbeing formed with an aperture at the lower end of said annular surface,said bobbin-orienting member being located underneath said orifice withsaid annular surface forming a continuation of said inclined hopperwalls, said bobbin-orienting member having at least one bobbin-engagingrib on said annular surface thereof; and a stationary tubular chutelocated underneath said bobbin-orienting member and extending downwardlyfrom the same, said chute having at the upper end thereof a downwardlyand inwardly inclined annular surface forming a continuation of saidannular surface of said bobbin-orienting member whereby saidbobbin-orienting member rotates bobbins engaged by said rib until thesame roll on said annular surface of said chute and pass in uprightposition into said chute, said tubular chute including an outer tubularmember, and an inner tubular member in said outer tubular member, saidtubular members having annular edge portions at the upper ends thereofforming said inclined annular surface of said chute, and said rib havinga portion projecting over said annular edge portion of said outertubular member.

8. A bobbin feeding mechanism as set forth in claim 7 wherein said innertubular member of said chute is detachable from said outer member forreplacement by another inner member having at the upper end thereof anannular edge portion of different radial extension.

9. Bobbin feeding mechanism comprising, in combination, stationaryhopper means having inwardly and downwardly inclined walls and beingformed with a bottom orifice, said hopper means being adapted to hold aplurality of bobbins; a rotary bobbin-orienting member having an uprightaxis and a downwardly and inwardly inclined inner annular surface andbeing formed with an aperture at the lower end of said annular surface,said bobbin-orienting member being located underneath said orifice withsaid annular surface forming a continuation of said inclined hopperwalls, said bobbin-orienting member having two bobbin-engagingcircumferentially spaced ribs on Said annular surface thereof; and astationary tubular chute located underneath said bobbin-orienting memberand extending downwardly from the same, said chute having at the upperend thereof a downwardly and inwardly inclined annular surface forming acontinuation of said annular surface of said bobbin-orienting member,one of said ribs being inclined to the respective radial plane, and theother of said ribs extending in radial direction across said annularsurface of said bobbin-orienting member whereby said bobbin-orientingmember rotates bobbins engaged by said ribs until the same roll on saidannular surface of said chute and pass in upright position into saidchute, said tubular chute including an outer tubular member, and aninner tubular member in said outer tubular member, said tubular membershaving annular edge portions at the upper ends thereof forming saidinclined annular surface of said chute, and said one inclined rib havinga portion projecting over said annular edge portion of said outertubular member.

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